Latest member of 2013 class adds some experience to QB group behind junior Connor Wood

By Kyle Ringo Buffzone.com

Posted:
05/20/2013 07:29:00 PM MDT

Updated:
05/21/2013 10:36:33 AM MDT

(
JESSICA CUNEO
)

Colorado football coach Mike MacIntyre addressed concerns he had about a lack quality depth and experience at quarterback by signing a junior college player who will compete for the starting job in August.

Jordan Gehrke, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound quarterback from Scottsdale Community College in Arizona committed to the Buffs during an official visit to the CU campus over the weekend. CU confirmed the signing in a press release issued Monday night.

“He's very athletic, extremely accurate, can make all the throws and is a bright young man in regards to football and in the classroom,” MacIntyre said in the release.

MacIntyre and his staff have had concerns about quality depth at the position even before attrition occurred at the position this spring through injuries and a transfer.

Gehrke threw for 2,388 yards in an offense that led the nation with 355 passing yards per game at the junior college level. He completed 174 of 366 passes with 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions as a freshman last season. Gehrke has four years to use three years of eligibility.

He is not expected to encounter the usual academic problems many junior college players do when trying to transfer to Colorado because he was a full qualifier coming out of high school at Notre Dame Prep in Scottsdale.

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Signing Gehrke at least provides coaches a security blanket with some actual playing time at the college level. Junior Connor Wood holds the top spot on the depth chart at CU after spring ball and would have been competing against four other quarterbacks in fall camp who have no experience playing at the college level.

Senior Jordan Webb suffered a torn ACL during spring and his future was in doubt because of that injury. Webb's chance of playing next fall became even more doubtful when he was arrested earlier this month and charged with second degree assault in a late-night incident that also included former CU offensive lineman Alex Lewis, who was also charged with second degree assault.

Nick Hirschman, who started two games at the end of last season, decided to transfer to Akron at the end of spring ball when coaches didn't name him the starting quarterback.

Should Wood falter in fall camp or get injured during the season, and if players such as Shane Dillon or true freshman Sefo Liufau don't develop as quickly as hoped, MacIntyre now has another option.

Assuming Webb remains on the roster, the Buffs will have seven quarterbacks on the roster when fall camp opens in August. MacIntyre said before Webb's arrest that he was hopeful the senior could return from his injury by October and contribute during his senior season. He was the Buffs' starter for most of last season.

Gehrke previously decided to pass up an offer from Weber State to transfer to Ventura Community College this year, but when the Buffs offered him a chance to play in a Pac-12 program, he couldn't pass it up.

Gehrke told Rivals.com he was overlooked in the recruiting process in high school. He was not a ranked prospect in the Rivals database and Weber State was his only other reported offer.

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